Pollution fear on pipe 'reliance'

There are around 3,500 overflow pipes in Wales

Wales' sewage system is too reliant on overflow pipes that take human waste directly to rivers and seas, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has claimed.

It says Welsh Water effectively has a licence to pollute because it relies on the pipes too heavily if there is pressure on the system from rain.

The MSC made the claims in BBC Wales' current affairs show Week In Week Out.

But Welsh Water said if they did not use the overflow pipes, people's homes would be flooded.

Since privatisation Welsh Water has spent hundreds of millions of pounds building sewerage works to handle sewage.

But not all of it gets treated.

There are 3,500 overflow pipes that spill when there is too much pressure on the system from heavy rain.

That means diluted human waste does out directly into our rivers and beaches.

The system of overflow pipes is so large and so poorly regulated that in some cases it amounts to a license to pollute Thomas Bell, Marine Conversation Society

Week in Week Out has uncovered serious concerns about how much the overflow pipes are being used and how well they are checked.

Thomas Bell from the Marine Conversation Society said many of the licences granted by the Environment Agency Wales for the pipes were out of date.

He added that some of the pipes, while licensed, had not been checked by Environment Agency Wales after Welsh Water was privatised so gallons of sewage could flow out of them into rivers.

"We know there are overflows that haven't been checked since 1989 and we would like to know why. We think that's wrong," he told the programme.

"The system of overflow pipes is so large and so poorly regulated that in some cases it amounts to a license to pollute."

Peter Perry, Welsh Water's operations director, said the overflows operated when it rained heavily.

"The way they are designed is to keep the maximum amount of sewage in the system," he said.

"A huge amount of work goes in with the Environment Agency Wales to agree how these overflows will operate before we build or upgrade them."

Now the European Commission is expressing concerns about the UK's reliance on sewage overflows to keep the system working.

The Marine Conversation Society said pressure on the pipes was increasing because of weather changes brought about by climate change and more urban development.

The European Commission has expressed concerns about the UK's reliance on sewage overflows to keep the system working.

Week in Week Out - Down the Drain, Tuesday 7 October, 2235 BST, BBC One Wales.